Christian wins on Nationwide on 9th playoff hole
Updated: August 30, 2009, 21:31
MOSCOW, Pa.(AP) Gary Christian won the Northeast Pennsylvania Classic on Sunday on the ninth playoff hole, which tied a Nationwide Tour record.
The Englishman made a short birdie putt to beat Mathias Gronberg and earn his first Nationwide title.
"Everything has to end eventually,'' Christian joked. "I needed to get into the record book somehow. To be honest, I lost count.''
Christian needed only to two-putt for par from 5 feet after Gronberg made bogey.
Christian and Gronberg each started the final round at 9 under and two shots behind 54-hole leader Guy Boros. Both players shot a 64.
The playoff began and ended on the 435-yard, uphill 18th hole. The two went to the tee at 4:52 p.m. and kept going back for more than two hours.
In the 1998 Lehigh Valley Open about 75 miles away, Eric Booker finally beat Notah Begay III in nine playoff holes.
